Horizon Misses Open Class Designation

[Northern Thunder]

http://www.oaoa.com/news/local/article_69c0282c-101a-11e7-8c5a-db8be1cf4b2d.html

[Brad T.]

I believe there were three corps that applied for Open Class: Horizon, Columbus Saints, and Appalachian Sound. And I'm fairly certain all three were denied. 

Perhaps DCI should be looking at what they can do to better prepare SoundSport ensembles to make the jump to Open Class. If all three corps have been highly successful in SoundSport (with the Saints being used many times on social media), then how did not a single one, especially Horizon, get a nod for even a limited tour? Southwind and Guardians both made the jump within their first years fielding, and Heat Wave was close behind. Southwind didn't even do more than a few weeks of shows in the Southeast their first Open Class season, a tour that wasn't much more consuming than the previous year in SoundSport. 

Oh well, what do I know?

[N.E. Brigand]

Is there a checklist of minimum standards that potential Open Class corps are provided, so that they don't throw their hats in the ring too early? It seems odd that any corps would apply for status without having made sure they already meet the required criteria.

Edited March 25, 2017 by N.E. Brigand

[DrumManTx]

Knowing some staff members personally I know Horizon has been making a ton of strides on the organizational side of things, considering where they were when they founded they've come a long way in that regard.  I think given another year of improving themselves structurally they'll be ready for the jump.  

 

[Eleran]

Clearly, DCI consulted with Stu before making these decisions.

[Brad T.]

Realistically, how long can a corps last claiming each season will be an inaugural Open Class season, convincing members and staff to buy in, and then being denied the Open Class spot, and having to scrounge a season of limited SoundSport events and a few potential exhibitions? It's hard to recruit for drum corps as it is, then recruiting for something that isn't a sure thing is even harder. You can recruit for SoundSport. You can recruit for Open. Recruiting for Open and delivering SoundSport really misses the bar on member and staff experience, especially in areas with established DCI Open and World corps, DCA corps, and SoundSport teams within a reasonable drive. 

The process should not be voted on in April. It should be done in September before serious recruiting even begins. Anything else is a huge disservice to members, staff, admin, and volunteers 

[WaxDCIFan]

I believe this is one of the biggest weaknesses I can see in the activity right now.  Movement between "classes" seems very arbitrary, and it has a no-kidding impact on corps' ability to recruit, draw sponsors, plan financially for the year, etc.  Seems that the bar for SS to OC should be set pretty low, compared with the ridiculous process of moving OC to WC.

[darkman]

Was there a reason as to why they had been denied movement to OC?

[gregory11]

It's unfair that the other two corps were mentioned as being denied before an official announcement has been made from those corps.